Proclamation
Whereas, the month of May is Bay Area Affordable Housing Month , and the entire 9 -county Bay Area region is taking action to expand affordable housing and end homelessness because quality affordable housing is vital to healthy, safe, vibrant, and diverse communities; and
Whereas, affordable homes are the solution to homelessness, and provide support to seniors, families, youth, veterans, and people with disabilities who are an essential part of our community; and
Whereas, the economic consequences of the COVID -19 pandemic placed an unprecedented number of tenants at risk of eviction or of accruing significant r ental debt, and threaten the ability of non -profit and small-scale housing providers to provide stable affordable housing; and
Whereas, rising housing costs have led longtime residents to be displaced, live in overcrowded and substandard homes, or live i n cars and on the street, threatening our region’s diversity and economic prosperity;
Whereas, creating new permanently affordable homes, preserving, and improving existing housing supports stable, vibrant communities by reducing homelessness, helping residents maintain community roots, and fostering racial and economic equity for generations;
Whereas, locating affordable homes close to public transit and jobs reduce s greenhouse gas emissions and provides low-income families better access to opportunities and amenities;
Whereas, when non-profit organizations, local jurisdictions, community and faith-based organizations, and others unite to invest in affordable homes for all, they help to continue building inclusive communities that support low -income people and interrupt patterns of racial and economic inequity in housing;
Whereas, local jurisdictions, including Alameda , play an important role by providing local resources that can be leveraged to apply for federal, state, regional, and other funding for affordable housing.
Now, therefore be it resolved, that I, Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, Mayor of the City of Alameda, do hereby proclaim May 2023 as
Bay Area Affordable Housing Month
in the City of Alameda where we continue to advocate for funding for affordable housing at the local, regional, state, and federal levels.
Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft
Mayor